17 August 2010

Despair

I am feeling absolute despair for Canada today. What a bunch of sacks of crap we are!

490 people show up at our door telling stories of war, murder, torture, and hell we cannot imagine, and what appears to be the majority of us say, "Fuck off and die." (Yes, I know, the National Post doesn't speak for the majority, but I'm seeing so very much vitriol and hatred, racism and xenophobia, that it seems like it has become that way).

This is supposed to be a Christian country. Harper claims to be an evangelical Christian. His behaviour speaks for itself though, doesn't it? Refugees are scattered throughout the Bible, and every time, God reminds God's people to be hospitable. In Deuteronomy 10:19, God says, "Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." In Leviticus 19:34, God says, "The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the homeborn among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." If the New Testament speaks louder to you, you needn't go further than the parable of the Good Samaritan. I think we forget that Samaritans weren't friends to the Levites. They didn't get along. But the Samaritan took the man who'd been beaten and robbed, and paid for him to be treated. Jesus told the people to go out and do the same. I can go on. There are dozens of examples where we are clearly told to be hospitable people.

And what are we doing? Taking their kids away, locking them up, and branding them all as terrorists because they're MAYBE part of a group fighting against a government we support?! We'll make them prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they're innocent? What the flaming hell are we doing? And don't give me any shit about how it sends a message to others that they can "take advantage of us too". No bloody way. We are to be hospitable without grudging (1 Peter 4:9).

Harper, that ignorant fuck, says, “Let me be clear: we are a land of refuge, but at the same time I think Canadians are pretty concerned when a whole boat of people comes — not through any normal application process, not through any normal arrival channel — and just simply lands,” So we're a land of refuge, but only if you can go through our massive bureaucracy?! What the hell kind of refugee can do that?! If they could, they'd be applying for immigration, not asking for our help!

Please people, for the love of God, for the love of humankind, stop supporting this government. Stop supporting people who are actively thwarting our opportunity to be good people.

5 comments:

Canada wants to contribute to women's health, but not to safe abortions, because good women don't have abortions and if bad women die because they were forced to rely on a coathanger, they deserve it.

Canada wants to have a compassionate approach to drug users, but has repeatedly linked gang violence drug use, thus legitimizing a policy of genocide (and I am quite prepared to defend Julio Montaner's choice of words on the matter) that increases the spread of HIV and hepatitis and criminalizes victims of sexual abuse, homopohobia and homelessness who resort to drugs to cope with the abuse they have suffered.

By portraying these people as terrorists, the government of Canada has not only actively encouraged racism against a group of people based solely on their ethnicity, country of origin and skin colour, but it has also made this racism legitimate and now threatens to legalize it.

Christian values have little to do with it. These people are different, so they are a threat to Stephen Harper's authoritarian, white, male-dominated and profoundly immature worldview, so the government has to step in and stop them from entering the country.

I am not a Christian. I do not equate goodness and kindness and tolerance with only Christianity.

I do not think of Canada as specifically a Christian Nation.

I do however agree that we used to be a nicer lot of people, or we aspired to be.

I cannot think of one of my Atheist, Muslim or pagan etc. friends who thinks that Stephen Harper's version of Canada is a place they want to live in. It is too mean, with no compassion for those that need our help.On the other hand, the fundies in the Harper Party are all racist nutjobs who would also rather see their fellow Canadians in the streets than help them in a time of need.

Oh, Pale, I apologise if I sounded as though I figured that Christians had a monopoly on goodness, kindness, generosity, etc. Of course, that is not the case. In fact, I think sometimes we struggle with it most because we are so privileged in this world.

I am accepting of all other religions; they're just another path to God.

I simply feel that, as a Christian, I am called to be hospitable to all. To heal, to feed, to treat with respect. And I am failing to see that in our government that is run by people who claim to be called by the same God I am.

Oh, yes. Money. But not just money. Power. They are seriously attached to it. One of my favourite lines about anything ever: "The most dangerous thing you can ever do is to attempt to take power from a man".

Harm none is a fantastic credo. I know a good number of people who live by that and are good people indeed. I don't imagine God will judge them poorly for doing what God asks without even realizing it. :)

Feedjit

About Me

I'm a loud, opinionated, stay-at-home Mom of three awesome minions - Snap, Crackle and Pop. I've got entirely too much education, complete with entirely too much debt. I'm open-minded to a fault - my husband says my open-mindedness is bound to get me in trouble. I'm a feminist, a Christian, a socialist, though not necessarily in that order.

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